A compression stocking generally comprises an elastic sock which can be fitted to a person to provide compression. The stockings are generally used to improve circulation. Compression stockings are well known in the art and are sometimes called elastic stockings, medical stockings, compression socks, compression/tubular bandages and the like.
These stockings are used for burns victims, on patients before having operations, to prevent deep vein thrombosis, for patients with vascular diseases, for treatment of topical ulcers, for varicose veins, for the prevention of strokes, for patients recovering from knee replacement surgery, for aged care nurses and nursing homes, for patients who are bedridden, for the protection of wounds, for patients with a fused ankle joints, for disabled and wheelchair-bound patients, for sports injuries and the like.
The stockings may have an open toe or a closed toe.
The stockings are typically made of relatively fine elastic material and it is this property that also makes the stockings difficult to apply as it is necessary to keep the stocking open and to fit the stocking about the person's foot and leg. Thus, many compression stockings do not simply slide onto a person's foot and rather need to be manipulated onto the person's foot/leg/arm. For this reason, many types of applicators are known to assist in the donning of a stocking.
The present invention is directed to a unique type of applicator which is easy to operate, quick to operate, is a user-friendly, can be used both on arms and legs, and has various other advantages which will be described hereinafter.
As mentioned previously, there are many types of applicators which are known. For instance, it is known to provide an applicator which comprises a metal ring. The open end of the stocking can be stretched about the ring to make it easier to don the stocking over a person's foot and calf area. However, it is found that the ring has some disadvantages. Firstly, once the stocking has been fitted, the ring needs to be removed by sliding it back over the person's foot, and some people may find it difficult to do this and particularly to pick up the ring afterwards. Also, the ring does not provide a very easy application of the compression stocking over the entire limb (that is the foot, ankle and calf).
Another type of applicator comprises a more complicated wire structure which is inserted into the stocking.
Most of these “wire” type applicators suffer from the disadvantage that they are designed to be placed on the floor and the patient is required to lower their foot into the device. Therefore, this type of applicator can generally not be used if the patient is sitting, has one leg crossed over the other leg, or lying down in bed.
Some type of applicators comprise a rigid or substantially rigid tube which may have some advantages over the simple ring, but suffer from the same disadvantage of needing to be removed back over the foot and not being entirely satisfactory in fitting the stocking.
Quite complicated mechanical stocking applicators are also known but these applicators are expensive to manufacture, difficult to use, and difficult, if not impossible, to transport with the person.
It is also known to provide a modified type of shoehorn to assist in the fitting of a medical stocking.
The disadvantage with removal of the applicator after use, but still providing a simple applicator, has been partially overcome by providing an applicator which comprises a U-shaped channel about which the stocking can be fitted. The channel, after use, allows the applicator to be removed from the person's limb without needing to pass back over the person's foot.
A disadvantage with many applicators is also in the easy use of the applicator. That is, many applicators are not particularly suited to easily fit a stocking over the person's foot, past the person's heel, over the ankle and along the person's calf. It should be appreciated that many people find this particular maneuver extremely difficult. For instance, the applicator should allow a person to fit a stocking quite easily over and around the heel portion and ankle portion which requires an angle change in the applicator. It is found that it can be quite painful for many people to use a stocking applicator due to the need to twist the person's limb during application, or to bend or stretch etc during the application process.
A disadvantage with other applicators is that it is somewhat fiddly to fit the stocking to the applicator prior to applying the stocking to a person's limb. Sometimes, it is necessary to provide quite a large force or effort to fit the stocking to the applicator. As the stocking can be quite flimsy and also quite expensive, it is not satisfactory to have a system where the stocking can be torn. Therefore, in many situations, the stocking is loaded onto the applicator by somebody else such as the caretaker, the nurse, hospital staff, a family member etc.
Other types of applicators are suitable only for the lower limbs and are not particularly suited for upper limbs.
It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.
Throughout this specification, the term “comprising” and its grammatical equivalents shall be taken to have an inclusive meaning unless the context of use indicates otherwise.